Before the inception of
CBR-East, co-founders Pattie Scully and Carolyn Sterner had decided
that any rescue that they would be involved with had to be willing
to work with research laboratories. During her experiences
volunteering for beagle rescues, Carolyn had worked on
establishing a positive relationship with one research facility
beginning in 2003, and it resulted in the first-of-its kind "release
to rescue" for that particular laboratory. We never
imagined how things would progress, but it was always a hope
that other laboratories would follow suit and take a chance on
rewarding their laboratory animals, as well as their animal care
staff (quite a morale boost to see these pups adopted!) The
first intake of 11 laboratory beagles in late Summer
2006 launched a new division devoted to this
area of need. It continues to grow with a record number of facilities
inquiring and releasing to us ever since! As of Summer 2010, we
have accepted over 100 retirees from 9 different research
facilities, with additional requests coming in. We call
our little heroes "laboratory retirees."

I've heard horror stories and seen
disturbing videos from laboratories. How and why can you work with
these places?

Adopted laboratory retiree, Hal with
Emily

For one thing, CBR-East
does not work
with such facilities. From our experiences, this type of
treatment is not the norm.CBR-East works only with
reputable research facilities. Please note that dogs are a regulated species under the federal
Animal Welfare Act, and
laboratories which use beagles in research are inspected by the
USDA. Reputable laboratories also follow additional
safeguards and protections by following the
PHS Policy on Humane
Care and Use of Laboratory Animals, guidelines from the
Association for Assessment and Accreditation of Laboratory Animal
Care International (AAALAC), and their own
IACUC policies for ensuring the humane care of laboratory animals.
The term "humane" care brings up an interesting debate, but one in
which CBR-East will not get involved. Research using animals
is currently legal, protected and required by the federal government. CBR-East will continue to work with reputable
AAALAC accredited laboratories for as
long as this is the case.

CBR-East does not play
into hype, misinformation, overdramatization, etc., and does not
have any agenda other than helping laboratory beagles in a
positive and cooperative manner. It is possible to do so,
and we have proven that.

**CBR-East honors and maintains the
confidentiality of the laboratories with which it works.**

I never knew that animal research was
being done and that beagles were often used. Where can I
learn more information?

You will find
a lot of information out there about this topic. We feel the
most factual, hype-free information is available
here.
Thank you to Johns Hopkins University for this information.

I think animal research is wrong and want
to take action to stop it. Is CBR-East the right group for
me?

Honestly, no, CBR-East is probably not the right group for you.
CBR-East is not an animal rights group. We do not (and
will not) protest research facilities or file law suits, just as
we do not do so with puppymills or petstores. We do not
have an "advocacy" group within our organization and have no
plans to form one. If you disagree with animal research,
then EDUCATE YOURSELF with factual information and
learn about and understand the legislation that requires it.
Animal research is a sensitive and personal topic for many
people. Learn about the topic and consider working with a
legislative group that approaches the topic in a manner that
matches your own personal views.

If you are someone who just wants to help these wonderful
beagles after they are released for adoption, then CBR-East
might be the right group for you.

What is Cascade Beagle Rescue's position on the use of animals in
biomedical research?

CBR-East acknowledges the current
federal requirements regarding the use of animals (including
beagles) in biomedical research. CBR-East encourages the search for alternatives so that beagles will
no longer beused. Until
such alternatives are identified and beagles are no longerused in research, CBR-East will continue to develop
positiverelationships with
AAALAC accredited institutions/facilities and assistwith the adoptions of voluntarily released healthy,
adoptable beagles.

Why rescue these beagles when there are others in shelters that
need rescuing?

CBR-East views
laboratory beagles as true rescue beagles since these beagles
share the same fate as those in kill shelters: euthanasia.
No beagle deserves such a fate when it is an adoptable dog.
Whether we assist the facility with adoptions or not, the research
will continue. We've just been fortunate enough to be given
the chance to change the dogs' fate - from death, to life.

CBR-East has made
strides in this area, and because of these wonderful
opportunities and networking, we are being trusted. For this reason alone, we will continue to accept
laboratory beagles. This does not change our relationships
and mission with local shelters, or with those in the Mid-West and
South. We may at times prioritize our laboratory intakes
because whereas shelter dogs have an infinite number of rescues
to help them, the laboratory dogs only have CBR-East.

Why
are beagles the most common breed of dog used for research purposes?

It
is for the same reasons that they make good pets. They are small,
relatively easy to care for, adaptable, and tend to have wonderful temperaments and
dispositions.

Sam, adopted
laboratory retiree seems quite happy to have been
given a second chance. Actually, little John looks
pretty happy, too!

Where do laboratories get their beagles?

Jake (formerly Henry), adopted laboratory retiree through
BONES, loving life with his new sisters

When
a beagle escapes and is lost, one concern that often worries its
owner is: "If caught, will my dog
end up in a research lab?" In New Jersey, the answer is definitely not
and in all others, the chance is negligible for several reasons. New
Jersey passed legislation which forbids research oriented facilities from
using "random source" (feral animals, lost pets) from the state of NJ.
Other states have stringent laws which make using random source animals
very difficult and expensive.
There ARE shelters (specifically in Michigan) that will sell shelter
dogs to laboratories. CBR-East does not work with the
laboratories doing the type of research that would allow
random-source animals to be used.

Most
reputable facilities use only animals which

are specifically raised and bred in clean facilities for research. This
eliminates many variables which cannot be accounted for. Animals from
other sources are not trained to be in a lab setting and are thus
usually not suitable for any research. The beagles that CBR-East obtains
have all been purpose-bred. In other words,
they were bred for the specific purpose of being used in research.
They never were someone's former pet.

What is done to the beagles in the laboratory?

This depends on the laboratory, but many
(although not all) studies that use beagles are relatively benign.
For example, many vaccinations and dog foods are tested on beagles; so are
new drugs. Beagles are often used in biomedical research for the
study of such diseases as diabetes, hypothyroidism, Addison's disease,
and cancer, as well as pharmacokinetic studies and those studying new
surgical procedures for cardiac and transplant models.

How
healthy are these beagles, and do (will) they suffer side effects from
the research?

CBR-E adopted laboratory beagle,
Petey (formerly Tweety) doing great in his new home!

As with ANY beagle in
our rescue (or living creature on this planet!), we cannot make
any guarantees about an animal's health. Dogs get sick.
They get injured. They develop cancer and chronic medical conditions. They can develop any number of health issues.
That being said, there is no research to indicate (and we
have found this to be consistent with our experiences as well)
that laboratory beagles are at any higher rate of developing a
health condition as any other beagle. If there were
potential side effects or risks associated with the research with
which the beagle was involved, it simply would not be released to
us. We and the facilities want this to be a
positive experience for all involved.

CBR-East accepts healthy laboratory beagles into the rescue, and
any obvious health concerns (e.g,. food allergies) are generally
known prior to adoption. At times, we will accept a dog that was
"rejected" from studies due to a health concern. This
information is KNOWN, and is treatable and relayed to any potential
adopter.

We have personally found that some of our retiree have a slightly
higher incidence of developing allergies. This could be
genetic, or could be from overwhelming the immune system of a six
year old dog who has lived in a laboratory with grass, pollen,
ragweed, fabric softeners, rug deodorizers, etc.
Actually, we tend to have more extensive veterinary information on
our laboratory beagles than shelter beagles in our rescue because
the dogs are meticulously monitored by veterinarians and staff
while they are in the laboratory.

How is a laboratory beagle different from
any other beagle in your rescue?

Thomas,
a spoiled retired laboratory retiree

Laboratory beagles are somewhat
unique in that many of them have never been outside a room in the
laboratory. The breeders do try to breed for good
disposition, and many breeders and researchers go out of their way
to socialize their dogs to minimize stress for the dogs and
handlers. Laboratory beagles, however, have limited experience with everyday things such as
outdoors, grass, cars,
stairs, running, playing with toys, playing with other dogs,
interacting with children, etc. They often have little to no
hunting instinct. Laboratory beagles are not
housebroken, although they can learn with consistent training,
time and patience. Some, but not all, may have difficulties being
crate-trained, so other training methods (e.g., the
Mark-Out
Housetraining System)
may need to be explored. Our experienced foster homes help
train and socialize these dogs while they are in foster care, so
the dogs are well on their way to understanding life in the real
world by the time they are adopted. They are often
indistinguishable from any other rescue beagle after spending time
in foster care.

Can laboratory beagles really adjust to become good housepets?

Charlie Brown,
retired laboratory retiree of CBR-East volunteers Tom and
Barbara learning how to enjoy a swim in the pool!

In our experiences, laboratory
beagles adapt well to new surroundings, but they DO need an
understanding adopter to help show them how wonderful the "real
world" can be! We have found them to make amazing
housepets, and they are matched with adopters using the same
interviews and matching procedures as the other beagles in our
rescue. Each beagle is different. Some will make great
companions for households with children, and some may not.
Some will get along very well with other dogs, and some may not.
The key is to find the right dog for the right adopter!

The most common
post-adoption issues that are reported, which may or may not be
seen in all of the dogs include: possible housetraining setbacks,
cautiousness in new environments, separation anxiety, car
sickness, and the development of seasonal
or environmental allergies. We think those are pretty minor
when you look at the loving pet you get in return!